Man shot by Police asks PG to Review his case

By Martha Matongo

A Resident of Mwanzi Village at Singalamwe Area, 140 kilometres West of Caprivi, Mr. Victor Tutangane (39) who was shot by the Namibian Police on the foot is calling for the Prosecutor General to review his case.
Mr. Tutangane was allegedly shot on his left foot by Mr. Jekonia Erick Haipinge a Police Officer on July 12, 2010 while on his way to Singalamwe Border Post after returning from Zambia.

He told this paper that he was shot on the spot when he was entering Namibia with his Border Pass at Singalamwe.

He divulged that he still doesn’t understand why he received a letter that his case was declined by the Deputy Prosecutor General who preffered to be reffered to as Mr.H.K Haindobo in Rundu and he therefore calls for the Prosecutor General to review his case since the accused cannot be Prosecuted.

According to Mr. Tutangane, the case was declined without his knowledge and he is asking why the accused person (Mr. Haipinge) did not stand before the court of law to identify who was wrong.

The complainant Mr. Tutangane is now disabled and finding it difficult to live his descent life as he walks on sticks, after the incident he went through a lot of pains and suffering and he described the investigations of his case that did not bear any fruits for him.

He explained that the whole drama started with the Police who were hiding in bushes shot him from his front as the bullet went straight in his left leg while he was some few meters from reaching the border where his border pass was supposed to be stamped during his arrival.

“I felt like my leg is paralysed, one of the Police Officer asked me, where is your gun?” said Mr Tutangane who was accompanied by his wife Sarriet Nyambo during the time of the incident.

He added that the Police Officers after finding out that he was not in possession of any rifle, they then pulled him in bushes where they kept him for a long time and took him to the Katima Mulilo State Hospital for Medical attention after three hours when he felt having difficulty in breathing.

“I tried my level best to get the case to go to court but nothing happened”. He said he also visited the office of Kongola Constituency Councillor David Muluti who wrote a letter to the Caprivi Regional Governor who later advised him to launch his complaints with the office of the Ombudsman in Windhoek.

Mr. Tutangane confirmed having written a letter which he posted through the suggestion box which was at the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare offices in Katima Mulilo last year , which he confirmed not getting anything.

Probing to hear how true the allegations, this paper consulted Mr. Boniface Matongela the investigator of the case, “I know about the case but I don’t have anything to comment”, responded Detective Matongela.

He then referred this reporter to get details from the Caprivi Regional Police Commissioner Mr. Rudolf Kanyetu.

Commissioner Kanyetu confirmed to Caprivi Vision that investigations were finalised as the case was sent to the office of the Prosecutor General who declined to Prosecute, “the case is closed and we cannot go ahead with it”. Said Mr. Kanyetu.

Contacted for clarity Mr. H. K Haindobo, Deputy Prosecutor General who finalised the case said he cannot say something as this paper should first speak to the Prosecutor General who can instruct him to say something.

“I am not allowed to say something to the media, until I get permission from Ms. Martha Imalwa”, Said Mr. Haindobo, all the way from Kavango region.

However, Prosecutor General Ms. Imalwa told Caprivi Vision that the decision was not taken by her as she has decentralised offices in Regions, only crucial cases are sent for her attention as they are a lot to be attended to so if all cases are sent to her it means they will be a delay on judgements.

Ms. Imalwa promised to review the case by requesting the docket from Katima Mulilo Police Station and she was thankful to hear about the case.

“I will call the investigator to send the documents to me so that I can attend to that case as soon as possible”. She said.

She further said she will give the answer in a few days to come; the case number is 69/07/2010 which was opened and closed without trial.